Italy is under lockdown. Many friends and the people you've heard on this podcast are directly affected by the Coronavirus outbreak in Italy. When we visited Florence just five months ago, we spent time with Anthony Frevelleti and his wife, Becca. We ate a fantastic meal together at Ristorante Accademia. Drank several bottles of amazing wine, and then walked the streets, enjoying all the Christmas lights and decorations. Good times! Today the Freveletti's are confined to their home outside of...

Coronavirus has a significant impact all over the world.  Our friends in Tuscany are not immune to what is going on, and for all practical purposes, tourism has come to a complete halt throughout the country. Many of our friends who you have heard on this podcast are directly affected both professionally and personally. Now is the time to listen to them and learn how you can help right now and in the future.    Jacopo Di Battista and Mary Shea help run their family estate Querceto Di...

Esperienza personale. Translated to English, personal experience. Urbano Brini is on a mission. He wants everyone who visits Florence and Tuscany to have a once in a lifetime adventure. Several years ago, he started Florencetown Tours. What began as a simple self-guided bike ride around the city has grown into something much bigger. Something more unique. Something more personal. Last December, I visited Urbano in his office, located a stone's throw from the Arno River. The view alone must...

When you sit and talk to Mario Scalzi about Itlay, it's like a living version of Google. Ask Mario a question, and he doesn't even need time to think, he answers instantaneously. Maybe Amazon can rename its Alexa to Mario. "Hey Mario, what about the Marche region of Italy can you tell us?" If you want the answer, you will have to listen to this edition of the Total Tuscany Podcast. Mario is one of our regular guests on the podcast because he brings so much value to you when we talk with...

It was a brisk December afternoon, my wife and I were sitting in the Piazza della Republica in Florence waiting to meet up with our friend Linda Sorgiovanni. You've heard Linda on the podcast before, she owns and operates Italy Customized with her business partner Alberto Bassilichi. However, our afternoon plans were to experience the other business they own and operate, Urban Adventures Florence.  We were excited because Linda was going to give us a sample of the Florence Foodies Walk. The...

It was a bright sunny morning mid-December in Florence. My wife and I waited outside our hotel in Florence, about 400 yards from the Dumo. We were meeting our friend Anna Madaffari who operates Cool Tours. Our plan for the morning was simple. We would walk to Caffe Gilli, have a cappuccino and a pastry, catch up with Anna whom we hadn't seen in a year. In the large crowds walking to and from the most famous landmark in Florence, emerged the spunky Italian with a smile a mile wide dressed in...

Happy Holidays! Stop looking for the perfect gift, do all your Christmas wins shopping at CSIWines.com! Our good buddy Anthony Frevelletti is back with us, and he tells us you can have some incredible wine from Tuscany under your tree by Christmas day! Also, Anthony is super excited to share his thoughts on what he thinks was an incredible harvest for 2019, and what makes it unique, especially for the smaller producers in the Tuscany. If you have heard Anthony on our podcast before you know...

I sat at the kitchen table between my Italian boyfriend, Francesco, and his mom near the sink, trapped in an awkward place where her insults had to pass through me to get to him. All of the blood in her body had rushed into her face as she listed off the many reasons American women make terrible mothers. She lifted a saucepan in the air like she was about to bludgeon me with it, then turned and chucked it into the soapy water, sending a tidal wave of suds crashing onto the counter. When she...

When we plan a podcast, we are always looking for a new and unique experience to inspire you to travel to Tuscany.  We have done just that in this episode.  Lucrezia Cammito is and entrepreneur who’s taken her passions, cooking, and opera and brought them together in a quaint setting in the Tuscan countryside.  Opera in the Kitchen is specially designed for small groups, 10-12 people, and promises to make memories that will last a lifetime. You get to pick your vegetables and herbs. You learn...

Without a doubt, the most common question we get asked about from our family, friends, and clients is about wine. Everyone wants to know two things; how good is it, and can you recommend a vineyard tour? The answers we always give are simple; the wine in Tuscany is fantastic! Also, we can recommend hundreds of vineyard tours. However, the best tasting we've ever had was at a small vineyard outside of Florence. Was it because the wine was excellent, maybe but we think it was because of today's...

In today's world of travel of experiences, people are quick to rent a property on the internet sight unseen where reviews are manipulated, and pretty pictures don't tell the whole story. When it comes to a trip of a lifetime to Tuscany, or even Italy for that matter, why chance it? You shouldn't and why Parker Villas is the best when it comes to first-class rental properties and excellent customer service and satisfaction.

Kathy McCabe has been "Dreaming of Italy" since the mid-'90s. She's turned that dream into a business and now a PBS television show. Kathy has recently launched a podcast has a Tuscan Sun special coming out in August on PBS.

What started as a simple website and blog telling you about the unique and chic in Florence, Italy, has now turned into a 200+ page book. Nardia Plumridge has published the ultimate guide for the Renaissance City, "Lost In Florence." The travel book is a comprehensive dive to the very best places to eat, drink, shop and explore; so on your visit, you feel more like a local rather than a tourist. Nardia takes you beyond the facade of the palazzi to a magical journey down the cobblestone side...

Hosting a podcast explicitly dedicated to Tuscany has many advantages. The one we like the most is the network of friends that we have made over these 59-episodes. We hope that when you listen to every episode that you feel you have created a bond of some sorts with our guests as well. Italy, in particular, Tuscany is something we want, and our guests want to share with the world. We do it with our podcasts and our Total Tuscany Experience. Today's guest, Linda Sorgiovanni is a partner in the...

We have done several interviews here on the Total Tuscany Podcast. This being the 58th episode we have introduced you to fascinating people who make Tuscany so unique.  With no disrespect to our previous guests, our discussion with Andrew Cotto just might be our favorite. Why do you ask? Well, there are a number of reasons, but the number one reason is we just connected with him.  We are similar in age, love food, wine, people, and most of all Tuscany. Andrew lives in New York City. He is an...

Of all the things that can make or break your holiday in Tuscany, or anywhere for that matter it is where you rest your head every night. There are a million stories on the internet of people finding a great deal online and then show up after already paying money in advance only to realize they got ripped off or sold something that didn't resemble the pictures on the online. In the latest edition of the Total Tuscany Podcast, we welcome back one of our most trusted partners who we have been...

Tucked away in the hills outside of Castellina in Chianti is one of our favorite places to visit when we are in Tuscany. It's a family run estate called Querceto di Castellina. Our love affair with the estate started when we stayed on the property in 2011, and it is one of the stops on the Total Tuscany Experience. The buildings on the property date back centuries. The winery has been sustainable since 1998, and it has been certified organic since 2012. In our book, Querceto di Castellina...

If you are a regular listener to the total Tuscany Podcast, you know that Pat Campagna has a great passion for the region. If you are not a regular listener well, then you will hear Pat's enthusiasm as he details his five favorite things about Tuscany. Visiting Tuscany, or Italy for that matter is not about travel and tourism, it's about the experience. You can travel anywhere, but it's what you do, what you see, what you taste and smell once you get there that makes the memories last a...

When you first sit down to start planning a trip to Italy, the experience can be a bit overwhelming. Where do we go? How long do we stay? How in the world are we going to see everything we want to see in such a short amount of time? Take a deep breath! We have been preaching on this podcast for the last three years that once you visit Italy, you keep going back and eventually you will see and experience everything you want to see. Travelers are not created equal. Some of you like to travel...

You have thought about it time and time again. Going to Tuscany has been on your bucket list for some time, but you keep telling yourself it will happen next year. When you look back, has next year turned into five years, or ten years? No more excuses! Why? Well, the easy part is making the decision to go. The hard part is doing all the planning and the stress of making sure you get to see what you want to see and still have enough to relax and enjoy the Tuscan countryside. You take care of...

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." Looking back, that quote from Wayne Dyer had significant meaning for Lisa Condie. Lisa has been a guest on this podcast before, talking about her tour company, Find Yourself in Tuscany. She's a model for greatness and inspiration for women everywhere. Successful and living abroad in one of the world's most beautiful cities, Lisa is a contributor to the Huffington Post, TUT, and she's been featured on the Today...

Happy New Year! Now is the time to start planning your trip to Tuscany and Italy. It is our hope this podcast will set you on your way to what is sure to be an exciting journey. Each year on the Total Tuscany podcast we like to talk with Mario Scalzi from Parker Villas. Mario's company offer premier villa rentals throughout Italy, and there are new and exciting properties that are coming online in Tuscany. Our half-hour conversation with Mario covers a lot and is a starting point of what...

In 2011 Emilio Estevez captured the imagination of many movie goers with the film "The Way." Starring his father Martin Sheen, the feature introduced us to the Camino de Santiago, the way of St. James. Pilgrimages date back centuries and are tied to religious traditions. Today's pilgrims make their trek for religious reasons, moral exploration, and spiritual clarity. Have you heard of the Via Francigena? It's a pilgrimage to Rome that runs right through the heart of Tuscany. The entire...

It's human nature to ask ourselves questions like; what am I doing with my life? Am I where I need to be? Is there something I should be doing differently for me that in return will serve others?  The introspective thought is healthy and in many cases, people find the answers they are looking for,  all it takes is a leap of faith and taking action that sets change in motion. Rewind to 2012 and picture a 56-year old woman standing outside coffee shop in Rome. She is on the last day of...

When it comes to tourism in Tuscany, Querceto Di Castellina has what I call the holy trinity for visitors. Great Location Fantastic food and wine Affordability We stayed on the estate a couple of years ago for a full week; the picturesque setting remains embedded in our memories, and when we are drinking a bottle of Chianti Classico it's easy to imagine ourselves on the estates large terrace overlooking the vineyard. If you are a regular listener to the Total...